I'll Breath with You
by Baby-Baby-Blue-Eyes
Summary: After being attacked, Nick is left anxiety ridden. He becomes shy, and withdrawn, clinging to his boyfriend Jeff. Jeff has to pick up the pieces, one step at a time.
1. Chapter 1

Hey guys! Carroll here! I've taken to writing another story! It's just so much fun! Here's a Niff story! This will be a multichapter fic! And if you're following my other story, I'll Sing to You, which is a Wevid story, chapter 4 is in progress! And chapter two on this one will be uploaded by at the latest 1 a.m. Saturday morning! If it's late, you can complain! Reviews are love!

* * *

><p>Nick was walking down the street, whistling the song they were going to sing at<p>

regionals and swinging his Westerville Supermarket bag. _Red Vines, check. Latest _

_Harry Potter movie, check. _

He was getting excited about this weekend, he was ready to spend time with Jeff, just the two of them. Jeff had named it the Weekend Dorm Date.

Nick laughed out loud. But stopped cold at the sound of a cold, mocking voice, yelling at him.

"Hey fag, what's so funny?" Nick flinched, willing himself not to run. He heard snickering, _Fantastic, _He thought, _there's more than one. _

Another voice broke his thoughts, "Answer his question, homo."

Nick could practically hear the sneer in the mans voice. He was shoved roughly into the alleyway that he was standing in front of _How convenient, this is like something out of a bad movie! _

That was Nick's last coherent thought before a loud smacking sound rebounded off the bricks around them. Nick gasped in shock and pain as he felt a fist make contact with his face. _Damn that hurt. _He had his legs kicked out from under him, his head making a sickening thud as it connected with the cold concrete below him. "This is what you deserve, fag! And you know it!" one of his attackers said, Nick watched through bleary eyes as two of them threw their heads back and laughed, both finding joy in this. He only managed to get a quick look at each of their faces before he tightly shut them in pain. A number of kicks were aimed at his stomach and chest, He lost count after five.

Another blow to his upper stomach, and he heard something crack. Nick screamed in pain, instantly regretting it as he was hauled to his feet by his neck.

"Yell one more time, and you'll regret it even more than you do now." his attacker growled, before he pulled his hand back, curled into a fist, and brought it forward, full speed into Nick's face. Nick's head flew back into the brick wall with a crack.

He started breathing erratically, before his knees buckled and he fell to the ground. He heard the men whispering frantically with each other. He heard the sound of feet retreating before everything faded away.

* * *

><p>Jeff hated hospital seats. He had sat in them enough when his father battled his long battle with cancer. He was absolutely cranky, hadn't eaten in at least twelve hours, and could feel how puffy his eyes were from crying.<p>

And then he remembered that he was _**crying, **_because Nick was in the hospital. His Nick, his best friend, his dorm mate, his boyfriend. _My boyfriend, _he thought angrily, _my boyfriend is in the hospital, because some low life scum attacked him. _

Jeff was enraged. He had been called into the Dean's office at eight o'clock on a Friday night. Nick had been late getting back from the store, and he had been worried, all he had wanted to do was wait for him in their room. But the second he entered the office and saw Nick's parents, he knew something was wrong.

Jeff shuddered at the thought of what happened after that. How he frantically demanded to know what was going on. What they told him broke his heart, it brought him to his knees.

"He's in Westerville Memorial, Jeff. He was attacked." Nick's mother had never sounded so dead, and so void of feeling. Jeff couldn't take it, he opened his mouth to speak but no words came out, just a strangled sob. He remembered her standing up, and opening her arms. He had ran to them throwing his arms around her and began crying openly. After that everything was a blur, until he had reached the hospital.

Jeff sighed and ran a hand through his hair. He turned to the stark white hospital bed that he was residing next to.

"Oh Nicky." Looking at Nick made his stomach churn, the busted lip and black eye, the cuts and bruises. And that was simply what wasn't hidden by the hospital blanket. "We'll get through this Nicky. I promise, I'll hold your hand all the way through it." Jeff's eyes watered with more tears. He needed Nick to wake up, he wouldn't feel relief until he saw those blue eyes that he couldn't get enough of.

"Nicky, I need you to wake up, okay? I know you have a concussion, and that sleeping is going to help you get better, but-" He trailed off when he felt the slack hand held tightly in his begin to move. He let out a huge sigh of relief that he hadn't even known he was holding.

"Jeff, it's too fricken bright in here." He heard Nick mumble. Jeff gave a watery laugh, "That's the Nick that I know." He watched as Nick cracked his eyes open and attempted to smirk at him, but he could see the pain he was in.

"I'll be right back Nick, I need to get the nurse." Jeff pressed a gentle kiss to Nick's cheek and left the room swiftly.

He returned seconds later, "She'll be in shortly. Are you in pain?"

Nick ignored his question, instead gesturing to the spot he made on his bed. Jeff walked over and sat down, leaning down to kiss Nick's forehead. Nick tried to curl himself around Jeff, but hissed in pain. "Woah, woah. Easy there tiger, you have a few cracked ribs" Jeff told him gently "Here, let me."

Jeff wrapped Nick securely in his arms, without out putting too much pressure on his injuries. He sighed in contentment, before he became alarmed when he felt his shirt getting wet. He sat up a little, "Oh, Nick." Jeff shook his head, he should have expected this, _real smart Jeff. Who wouldn't cry after being attacked? _He let Nick cry, but when the sniffles turned into the full fledged sobs, he pulled Nick up too.

But right as he was about to go into full on comfort mode, the nurse walked in. "Well well well, Mr. Duval. You gave us quite a scare there!" She either didn't see the tear tracks on Nick's bruised face, or chose to ignore them. "You got a mighty concussion, and you have a few cracked ribs. Other than that, you have very mild, minor injuries. Nothing some ice and sleep won't be able to handle" She said cheerfully.

_Oh good, _Jeff thought sarcastically, _we got the overly peppy one. _He didn't have time to dwell on the headache he was getting just from hearing her talk, because he had a cup of water and several pills pushed into his hands. He tuned back into the nurse when he figured out that what she was saying was actually important. "-just give him these pills and he'll be set to leave in a couple of hours when his parents are done filling out his discharge papers!" When she finished her apparently long monologue, she gave them one last blinding white smile, and exited the room.

"Your parents! I totally forgot about them! I promise that they are in fact here, they just went to get coffee" Jeff quickly explained to Nick, who only gave him a short nod.

Of course, his parents chose to walk in at that exact time, Nick's mom almost spilling her coffee on herself when she saw that he was in fact, awake.

"Oh, Honey! You're awake and well! Oh, oh, I don't even know what to say!" Nick's father stepped up to his bed, placing a consoling hand on his wife's shoulder.

"Good to see you up and awake Nickster" His father said with a smile.

Nick smiled back at his father, but Jeff watched as it didn't reach his eyes.

"We're going to sign you out and then we'll drive you two back to Dalton. I'm sorry honey, but your father and I can't cancel our business trip to New York on such late notice. Believe me, we tried the second we got the call from the police. The nerve of our-" But Nicks dad cut her off, "What you're mother is trying to say Son, is Jeff here is going to take care of you for the next week at school. We've already requested that both of your all's work be sent to your room everyday. I hope that's okay."

"It's perfect Dad, thank you. Will you go sign those papers now?" Nick asked, speaking for the first time, fully, since he had waken up.

His dad nodded, leaving the room. His mother placed a change of clothes at the foot of his hospital bed, silently asking Jeff to take care of it. Jeff just nodded, and watched as she followed her husband out of the hospital room.


	2. Chapter 2

**I know guys, don't hate me too much, or please do actually, but this is really just a filler chapter. I know you guys haven't waited like three months for a filler chapter, but this is my incentive to go forth with this story. I've gotten some positive feedback on this, and it's really changed my mind. I swear there is more to come, and I'm also open to suggestions if you would like anything included in this story! Thanks again for your alls patience! I'm going to stop rambling now.**  
><strong>~Carroll<strong>

* * *

><p>The Duval's had just dropped Nick and Jeff off back at Dalton, leaving in a rush to get to the airport. Mrs. Duval almost had a meltdown, upset that she had to leave Nick in such a state and after something so horrific because of her job.<p>

Jeff had Nick's overnight bag from the hospital in one hand, the other around Nick's waist, letting the boy lean heavily against him. Nick was barely listening to Jeff ramble, he was tired, and he felt sick, so he didn't really care.

Nick tuned back in long enough to hear Jeff say, "-And just think Nicky, we'll be off this week, well kinda, and then it's the next two weeks off for Christmas!" Nick stopped walking when he heard that, "Nick? Nicky are you all right?" Jeff asked worriedly. Nick turned to Jeff, and gave him a smile that reached his eyes slightly. "Jeffy, that's three weeks. Three weeks to just lay around." Nick said, sounding relieved. Jeff grinned at him, tugging on his waist a little so they could start walking again.

The stairs proved to be a bit difficult due to Nick's cracked ribs, but eventually they made it to room _36, _they had been ecstatic when they first arrived at Dalton their freshmen year to find it their room number. Jeff heard Nick yawn as he unlocked their door, ushering him inside and leading him straight to the bed, "Sit." Jeff said "And stay."

"I'm not a dog, Jeffy" Nick mumbled sleepily as he pulled the covers back from the bed. It was the size of an awkward queen, seeing as they pushed their two beds together.

He heard Jeff's bark of laughter come from their en suite bathroom. Jeff walked back out with a cup of water, and three advil. _Great _Nick thought_ more pills_. But he took them without much grumble, swallowing them in one go before settling back into the covers and mounds of pillows.

Jeff walked towards his Dalton issued dresser to find a pair of sweat pants, "Nick," he paused, "where have all of my sweatpants gone to?" He asked, turning around to quirk an eyebrow at Nick, all he received in return was a pretty blush that spread across Nick's cheeks as he refused to meet his gaze.

Nick caught the tail end of Jeff's grin, blushing heavily when Jeff sighed "I love you, Nicky." Nick gave him a small smile, "I love you too, Jeff" before he slid over, making room for Jeff on the bed.

"Alright," Jeff said walking back over towards the bed a stack of DVD's held in his hands, "What do you want to watch? We've got the Pirate movies, Harry Potter, and-"

"Pete Pan?" Nick asked, cutting him off, with a hopeful look in his eye. Jeff smiled and ran his hand through Nick's unkempt hair, "Of course we can watch Peter Pan, I should have just known" Jeff said with a laugh. He placed a kiss on Nick's forehead, who accepted it happily, before getting off the bed to go start the movie.

Nick listened to the clicking of the DVD case and the player whirring to life. Sighing a little he burrowed deeper into the covers, burying his face in Jeff's pillow and inhaling deeply. Anything that smelled like Jeff calmed him down. Nick let the smell of citrus and old spice wash over him, his mind relaxing finally from the nervous and scared thoughts he was keeping hidden from Jeff. He felt the mattress dip as he twisted his face into an expression.

Jeff slid his arms around Nick, propping them up against their head board. The room was dark, just the way they liked it when they watched movies. Nick cuddled into Jeff more than he used to, practically clinging to him. Jeff just shrugged it off, blaming it on on Nick's nerves to be home.

Jeff dropped a kiss to the top of Nick's head, giving himself a moment to try and relax his body, the last two days really taking a toll on him.

"I love you, Nick." Jeff breathed out, tightening his hold on the boy in his arms.

He smiled when he heard a faint "I love you, too, Jeffy."


	3. Chapter 3

**I know it took awhile again... It's probably going to be like that a lot. This chapter is weak, in my opinion. Carry on reading. I just realized that I spelt Breathe wrong in the title. What a shame.  
><strong>**~Carroll**

* * *

><p>Darkness. Nick couldn't see anything, the silence surrounding him was deafening. He heard the maniacal laughter first, before he saw their faces, stocky bodies looming over him. He panicked, <em>They're back, <em>was all he could think, over and over again. The ring-leader, grinned down at Nick, his eyes slanted. _They're here to do more than just leave a few scars this time, _Nick's mind was screaming at him to get out of there, to run. But run where exactly? Nick didn't have time to dwell on a possible escape route when he felt hands close around his neck, _scream, idiot, scream. _

Nick let out an ear piercing scream and then everything vanished.

* * *

><p>Jeff shot up at the sound of screaming, frantically trying to shake the sleep induced haze from his mind. He looked down at the thrashing boy next to him and racked his brain for what to do when someone was having a nightmare. The answer couldn't come fast enough, so he reached over and gently placed a hand on Nick's shoulder. "Nicky! Baby, wake up!"<p>

He gave Nick's shoulder a firm, gentle shake. Nick ceased his thrashing and just laid there a moment, the only sound in the room his harsh breathing. Jeff watched as blue eyes opened, darting around the room frantically.

When Nick's eyes landed on Jeff he managed to get out a choked "They're back! Jeff they're trying to find me!" before he promptly burst into tears.

Jeff was pretty sure he felt his heart break a little at his boyfriends admission before gently pulling Nick into a sitting position and pulling him into his lap.

Nick curled into Jeff instantly, tucking his head under Jeff's chin. Jeff could feel the hot tears course down his own neck as Nick nuzzled further into his warmth.

"Nick, do you want to talk about it? It might be a good idea to-" But Jeff was cut off with a loud "No!" from Nick. Jeff lifted Nick's head gently so they were eye to eye, green meeting dazzling blue. His eyes searched Nick's own distraught ones, still brimming with tears. Jeff's iron resolve was dissolving at the look of pure distress and pleading in Nick's eyes. "Okay, Nicky. We don't have to talk about it. We could talk about something else?"

Nick looked at him with watery eyes before nodding his head slowly. "Jeff. Jeff, will you-" He paused, "Will you hold me?" He asked timidly. The smallest of smiles graced Jeff's lips as he gave a nod in reply, wrapping his arms around Nick tightly, rocking him ever so gently.

"So did you want to venture out tomorrow and try going to Warbler's practice? Of course, you can't really move with your ribs, but we can go and watched, I'll sit out with you." Jeff offered up, after sitting in silence for a few minutes.

Nick stirred in his arms, rearranging himself into a more comfortable position. "Maybe. Can I think about it?" Nick asked shyly.

"Of course you can, Nicky." Jeff replied gently.

A few more minutes of silence passed between them. Jeff placing occasional kisses on Nick's head and face.

Finally, Nick spoke up again, breaking the silence. "You'll be there the whole time? You won't leave me?"

Jeff should have noticed the clingy nature, but he didn't.

"Of course I'll stay with you." Jeff said, tightening his grip on the brunette.

"Okay. I'll go."

* * *

><p><strong>Next chapter, how Nick will react to the Warblers, and what they have up their sleeves that they think will "help"<br>****Reviews are love, as always! **


End file.
